Court orders re-arrest of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena

Friday, 8 May 2026 04:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

CIABOC seeks arrest citing alleged violation of bail conditions
Former CEO had been granted bail two days earlier by Colombo Magistrate’s Court

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday ordered the arrest and production before court of former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena, two days after he was granted bail.

The order was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodharagama following a request made by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which informed court that the defendant had allegedly violated bail conditions.

Chandrasena was arrested on 12 March in connection with allegations relating to the acceptance of bribes during SriLankan Airlines’ procurement of Airbus aircraft. He was released on bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

According to investigators, Chandrasena is accused of accepting a bribe of $ 2 million linked to the Airbus transaction.

The allegations stem from a 2013 agreement under which SriLankan Airlines agreed to purchase 10 aircraft valued at $ 2.3 b. Prosecutors allege Chandrasena conspired to accept bribes amounting to $ 16 million and received € 1.45 million into a Singapore bank account.

The prosecution further alleges that Chandrasena established a shell company in Brunei in his wife’s name and arranged for kickback payments to be channelled through its Singapore account.

Chandrasena had previously been arrested and released on bail in February 2020 in a related but separate case.